Principal Engineer

This Role Is for You If You're

• Seasoned in architecting and implementing high scale and throughput systems
• Accomplished in leading engineering teams in delivering game-changing products
• Skilled at partnering with product and business counterparts in roadmap and decisioning
• Relentless in managing resources and allocation towards yielding optimal outcomes

Principal Engineer in a Nutshell

You are the top day-to-day engineer at Valid. You reside at the confluence of all technical decisions, partnering with the CTO to determine engineering direction on both macro and micro scales. You thoughtfully operate at the cusp between hands-on software development, high-level design, and technical leadership. You lead and mentor our engineering team in executing and delivering against our aggressive roadmap, and as Valid's prospects and mandate grow, so too do your role and responsibilities. In short, your execution and dedication as Principal Engineer will be a key factor in Valid's success.

Key Qualifications

• Experience: 6+ years software engineering experience with a strong focus on system architecture of large-scale, performant distributed systems
• Technical Leadership: 3+ years leading technical teams, setting engineering standards, and driving architectural decisions in an agile environment
• Engineering Excellence: Mastery in Python (our day-to-day operating language) and a second-nature commitment to engineering best practices (e.g., CI/CD, testing, fault-tolerance)
• Cloud and Infrastructure: Hands-on experience managing and deploying cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Google Cloud) and orchestration tools (e.g., k8s, Docker)
• Familiarity with AI/ML: Proficient knowledge of AI and machine learning platforms/APIs, frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch), and algorithms
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Track record of optimizing technical outcomes that account for engineering, product, and business partners and requirements

Nice to Have

• 2+ years in adtech or martech engineering in a senior capacity
• 2+ years in early-stage (pre-Series B) startups
• 2+ years as an engineering people manager

What We Offer

• Salary: We strive to make offers in the 90th-plus percentile of similar stage/trajectory companies for the level offered
• Equity: Generous grants commensurate with experience and company stage
• Benefits: 401k, healthcare, FSA, meals (when in-person)
• Workplace: Remote-possible with a preference for IRL in our San Francisco headquarters
• Impact: A foundational opportunity to revolutionize the landscape of digital advertising, forever
• Growth: Active support in growing your career, skills, and outcomes in tandem with the growth of our business
• Culture: A mission-driven organization where contributions are honored, diversity in experience and background is recognized, and disruption is core to everything we pursue

You're Probably a Good Fit If

• Applying the latest tech in novel ways to delight customers excites you, and your goal is to maximize ownership
• You want to join something early-stage and can thrive in an environment of organized chaos:
• Organized: Build with purpose, work efficiently, communicate clearly, especially in writing.
• Chaos: We think the best place to learn is in market and will do what it takes to ship as quickly as possible.

This Role Might Not Be a Fit If

• You don't enjoy wearing multiple hats
• You don't enjoy mentoring others
• You dislike navigating ambiguity